"Tallapoosa County doesn't have a law on the books that says owners can't allow their dogs to run at large," Tallapoosa County District Attorney E. Paul Jones said. "If there is no law, there can be no charges."

The incident occurred late Wednesday afternoon in the Tallapoosa County portion of Tallassee's police jurisdiction.

The girl was playing in her yard. When her grandfather went to check on her, he noticed a large dog standing over her, Police Chief Jimmy Rodgers said. The grandfather told police the dog was trying to drag the girl away when he ran it off.

The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary reports from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences show the girl's injuries were consistent with an animal attack, Jones said.

Police impounded two dogs that they believe were involved in the mauling. One was a shepherd mix and the other is a Labrador retriever mix, both weighing about 75 pounds, Rodgers said.

The chief hasn't released the names of the dogs' owners since no criminal charges have been filed.

Jones said Friday evening the shepherd mix, which was the dog the grandfather saw standing over the child, had been put down.